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Herb Chambers – Hollywood Comes to Sharon!

Herb Chambers Reviews — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:59:21 +0000

Herb Chambers Lexus Goes Hollywood!

A True Movie Experience

Kevin James and Friends

You may have heard that Massachusetts is rapidly becoming the home of Hollywood East…lately there’s hardly a time that movie crews aren’t scouting the towns and cities of our fair state for movie shoot locations. In fact, one day recently Herb Chambers Lexus received a call from a “big time movie location scout” who was looking to shoot a movie scene in “the finest automobile showroom in the world”!

Guess what? They chose our spectacular new Herb Chambers Lexus showroom on the famous “Automile” in Sharon, MA! When this facility was finished I knew it was a bit “over the top” as they say…but nothing was too good for our loyal Lexus customers and guests– the true fans of this magnificent luxury vehicle brand. To get back to my story, it turned out that they wanted to shoot a few scenes for the upcoming 2010 movie: The Zookeeper starring Kevin James (the star of King of Queens & Paul Blart: Mall Cop) in our new showroom! Well, what could I say but “yes, when would you like to start?”

No sooner did I give them the “green light” but it seems all of Hollywood arrived! Set guys, lighting guys, camera crews, loads of “assistants”, tractor trailers trucks, miles of cable, electricians, carpenters and more …it was truly transformational… and transform they did! You see this movie plot called for several scenes in a truly ultra high-end exotic vehicle showroom, (This place even had a bar!) the ultimate “Auto Toy Store” if you will. Sprinkled among the set, were several carefully positioned rare and classic cars…Rolls Royce, Mercedes-Benz, Maseratis, Lamborghinis, a McLaren, Bentley’s, Maybach, a Porsche or two… and more. A car guy’s heaven!

The shooting and festivities went on for a few days…our Herb Chambers Lexus General Manager, Giovanni Tosti, and yours-truly even managed to be “extras” in a scene or two! I can only hope that we both don’t end up “edited” on the cutting room floor… no matter, we’ll look forward to seeing this hit when The Zookeeper premiers next year! And remember, at Herb Chambers… when it comes to your dream vehicle… We’ve Got It!

Sincerely,

Before

After

Herb Chambers News – Boston Business Journal Talks to Herb

Herb Chambers Reviews — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:49:12 +0000

Driven to succeed: Herb Chambers

Courtesy of: Boston Business Journal

Herb Chambers’ name is synonymous with his car dealership empire — as well as his ubiquitous commercial jingle.

But Chambers, who never attended college, actually got his start selling copy machines, not cars, before he made the transition to dealerships in 1985.

“I’ve always loved cars ever since I was a child,” he said.

Despite the brutal automotive sales market, Chambers, who operates 45 dealerships across New England, has had a decent year by most accounts. October sales were up over last year, and year over year, sales volume will be comparable, although profitability is expected to improve because of cost controls, he said. In 2009, he opened four new dealerships.

He recently sat down with Boston Business Journal reporter Lisa van der Pool to discuss business.

How is business going, post Cash-for-Clunkers?

Cash-for-Clunkers gave the industry a huge spike, but in lower-cost cars. The problem was that we weren’t prepared for Cash-for-Clunkers. The result was that we exhausted our inventory very quickly. And we had very few cars — at some dealerships we had no cars — left. At the same time nobody told the factories there was going to be a Cash-for-Clunkers program. So what happened with the economy, and car sales being down earlier in the year, is that the factories cut way back on production, because there was a glut of cars out there. Then all of a sudden, Cash-for-Clunkers comes along and exhausts the supply of cars. We delivered close to 1,200 cars.

What do you think of the government’s bailout of the automobile industry?

It’s too soon to judge. The domestic auto companies are in a mess. The executives are being changed almost daily. The

canceling of dealers is very troubling. They’ve had family businesses that will not be in existence any more. We are fortunate because we have been able to keep all of our dealerships — except Pontiac and Saturn.

Has advertising been a key part of your business strategy from the beginning?

We spend an awful lot of money advertising. The good news is that with the technology today we can monitor calls coming into dealerships, and people coming to our Web site. Because today about 80 percent of people, before they buy a car, they go online.

Are fuel-efficient cars here to stay?

Absolutely, positively. Everybody’s talking about bluetech diesels and hybrids. The name of the game is you’ve got to deliver great mileage. Everybody’s going to be in the hybrid business. I think it’s a great thing because we’re going to use up less oil.

What kind of car do you drive?

I change cars a lot because I love them. And I can. The people at all my dealerships hate to see me coming because they always know I’m going to take one of the nice cars. Right now, I’m driving a Bentley Coupe.

Three greatest passions?

My family, my business and automobiles. Because I love automobiles, I collect them.

How many cars do you have?

I used to have 25, now I have about 15 or 20 now. I have older cars, some from the ’50s. Part of the problem with collecting old cars is that they’re great to look at, but they drive terribly. But I like to drive, so I’ve been selling off some of the old cars that I have and replacing them with some exciting automobiles. For example I have a Mercedes-Benz SLR convertible, which is a car we sell. They ended the production on the car so I think it will be a very good investment. I have a new Lamborghini, which I think is a very exciting car to drive.

Trait that gives you a competitive edge?

Enthusiasm.

Herb Chambers

Herb Chambers Reviews – Boston Globe Top Ten Places to Work

Herb Chambers Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:35:19 +0000

Boston Globe | LEADERS – Herb Chambers

TOP PLACES TO WORK

Herb Chambers – The value of confidence

Workers want a leader they can believe in

By Elizabeth Cooney, Globe Correspondent

HERB CHAMBERS WAS in the middle of expanding his car sales business when the recession hit, but he kept right on going with plans to open new dealerships and expand others. Now Chambers is hiring, and employees are glad they’re at a company that’s growing while their industry is gasping.

When the climate is gloomy, employees want company leaders to offer confidence, communication, and a sense that a bright future is being built.

Workers at these companies believe their professional fate is in good hands:

Herb Chambers Cos.: Twenty-five years ago, it wasn’t the norm for an auto dealer’s service department to wash the cars before returning them to customers, but Herb Chambers did it. “My feeling was a clean car always ran better than dirty one did,’’ said Chambers, head of his namesake business.

This year, going against the grain meant completing $50 million in new facilities. It’s that kind of thinking that has allowed Chambers auto dealerships to grow while other dealers are struggling or even closing down.

That sits well with employees, especially in the high-pressure world of auto sales. “I think it gives our people a great deal of confidence,’’ Chambers said. “They feel good about our company. They believe they are in the right place.’’

One after another, Chambers employees surveyed for Top Places cited the boss himself and the company’s growth as reasons for their satisfaction.

Not that Chambers has escaped the recession entirely. Sales are down 19 percent this year compared to last year, when the expansion was planned. But national numbers are down even more: from 30 to 34 percent.

“We never had a doubt about the future,’’ said Michael Hannafin, service director at Flagship Motorcars, a newly refurbished Chambers dealership in Lynnfield. “He’s a guy who believes in what he is doing. That trickles down.’’

Hannafin said Chambers recently pulled aside a manager who had reorganized a parts department, saying he wanted the rest of the company to copy the system. “You can’t measure what that does for an employee,’’ Hannafin said. “That guy was on cloud nine and the rest of his team was motivated, because he was singled out in a positive way by the CEO of the company.’’

Herb Chambers Reviews – Dangers of Driving Drowsy

Herb Chambers Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:28:17 +0000

Somerville-based Herb Chambers helps spread awareness of drowsy driving dangers

Wicked Local Somerville

Somerville MA:

In an effort to keep Massachusetts’ roadways safer, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation are spreading the word about the National Sleep Foundation’s “Drowsy Driving Prevention Week.”

The far-reaching public awareness campaign, designed to educate drivers about the dangers of driving while drowsy, runs from November 2 to November 8, 2009. As we prepare to “fall back,” reverting to standard daylight savings time on November 1, drivers need to be even more alert as the change in sleeping patterns and roadway visibility could further impair driving skills.

The advice is basic: drive alert, arrive alive. Yet, according to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2005 Sleep in America poll, 60 percent of adult drivers – about 168 million people – say they have driven a vehicle while feeling drowsy in the past year, and more than one-third (103 million people) have actually fallen asleep at the wheel.

“At the Highway Division, our number one priority is safety,” said Luisa Paiewonsky, Administrator of the Highway Division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. “Drowsy drivers are less alert, and more prone to accidents. It’s critical that we continue to educate drivers about the very real dangers of drowsy driving.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says there are an estimated 100,000 police-reported crashes as the direct result of driver fatigue each year, resulting in more than 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in monetary losses.

“Most of our residents are aware of the hazards of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, but many are unaware of the dangerous effects of sleepiness behind the wheel. Like alcohol and drugs, sleep loss or fatigue impairs driving skills,” said Sheila Burgess, Director of Highway Safety for the EOPSS. “We all need to be aware that lack of sleep can have serious consequences on our lives and on the roadways.”

Sleep-related crashes are most common among teens, with more than 50 percent admitting to driving while sleepy or fatigued in the past year, as well as males under 26, shift workers and people with long work hours, commercial drivers, people with undiagnosed or untreated sleep disorders, and business travelers.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends drivers get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night to maintain proper alertness during the day and urges drivers to pull off the road if they show signs of drowsiness or fatigue while driving. Before driving, every driver should consider whether they are:

Sleep-deprived or fatigued (6 hours of sleep or less triples risk)

Suffering from sleep loss (insomnia), poor quality sleep, or a sleep debt

Driving long distances without proper rest breaks

Driving through the night, mid-afternoon or when you would normally be asleep

Taking sedating medications (antidepressants, cold tablets, antihistamines)

Working more than 60 hours a week (increases your risk by 40%)

Working more than one job and your main job involves shift work

Drinking even small amounts of alcohol

Driving alone or on a long, rural, or dark road

For more information please visit www.mass.gov/highwaysafety or www.drowsydriving.org.

Herb Chambers Reviews – Cars & Coffee BMW Sudbury

Herb Chambers Reviews — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 13:29:22 +0000

Herb Chambers and BMW of Sudbury are pleased to announce, “Herb Chambers Cars and Coffee” Saturday, October 10, 2009 from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM.

This event is for motoring enthusiasts looking for a place to take their ride, share stories and admire each other’s pride and joy.

Visit: herbchamberscarsandcoffee.com

Herb Chambers Cars and Coffee is completely free and will be held at the all new Herb Chambers BMW of Sudbury, 128 Boston Post Road (Route 20) in Sudbury, Massachusetts.

The dealership is located just six miles from exit 26 off Rte 128/95.

All enthusiasts including antique, classic, exotic, hotrods, motorcycles and motorsports are invited to attend and there will be plenty of free parking for your vehicle.

Free Tee Shirts for the first 200 attendees!

On display! McLaren F-1

We hope to see you there!

John Covell

Director of Training and Marketing

john@herbchambers.com

Herb Chambers’ McLaren F1 and coffee

(Bill Polo/Globe File Photo, 2001)

Very few people have seen a McLaren F1 up close outside a magazine.

Even those of us who caught Ralph Lauren’s silver example at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts auto exhibition four years ago couldn’t see the gold leaf under the engine lid, or contemplate what a resting 250-mph speedometer would look like slammed to the max.

Thanks to mega dealer Herb Chambers, who has a 1995 F1 in his exotic and classic car collection, car enthusiasts can see this supercar very close, and sip some hot brew while they’re at it.

As a marketing effort to introduce his 46th dealership in the Massachusetts and Rhode Island area, BMW of Sudbury, Herb Chambers is launching the first of what he hopes will be a monthly gathering of “cars and coffee.” It’s an early morning, no-reservation auto event for cars and motorcycles of any kind (no model discrimination, but preferably not your 1991 Tercel).

Join Herb and whomever shows up (there should be enough, given the McLaren alone) from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the Bimmer parking lot on 128 Boston Post Rd. Even though the Bugatti Veyron demolished his F1’s once-record 240 mph top speed, there’s nothing like a little McLaren in the morning.

Herb Chambers Dealers – Hollywood Comes to Somerville

Herb Chambers Reviews — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:02:16 +0000

~Photo by William Tauro

Herb Chambers helicopter landing pad to the stars!

By William Tauro

A helicopter takes off from on top of the Herb Chambers Auto dealership that’s located on McGrath Highway.

According to sources movie film actress Cameron Diaz is today’s passenger being transported to her movie set that’s being filmed locally.

Sources also tell us that movie star Tom Cruise was yesterday’s helicopter passenger for the day!

Herb Chambers Reviews – BMW Sudbury Grand Opening

Herb Chambers Reviews — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:33:36 +0000

Herb Chambers to open new BMW dealership in Sudbury

Chambers Continues to Storm Forward With Expansion Plans

SUDBURY – Less than a year ago, Herb Chambers gathered with community and industry leaders as well as employees and friends to officially break ground on a new BMW dealership in Sudbury.

At the time, the economy had started its downward spiral, and many people questioned Chambers’ reasoning. Since then, there have been lots of happenings in the industry with General Motors entering and reemerging from bankruptcy, Chrysler closing thousands of dealerships, and even the government stepping in to help boost sales with the Cash for Clunkers program. But that groundbreaking in Sudbury was Chambers’ fifth of the year, and he hasn’t looked back since.

“We took a long term view when moving forward with our development plans, because our company is here for the long haul and expect to continue to grow our business,” said Herb Chambers. “We want to make sure that we differentiate ourselves from the competition by offering customers the most convenient and comfortable experience in our dealerships.”

On Thursday Sept. 17, Herb Chambers, New England’s largest automotive dealer, is opening the doors to the just completed Herb Chambers BMW of Sudbury. The 70,000 plus square-foot dealership is the third largest dealership of Chambers’ 45 locations, and features the latest in amenities designed to pamper customers.

The six-acre property, conveniently located on 128 Boston Post Road, Rt. 20, offers customers a three lane drive in service reception area with valet attendants, a television lounge featuring plasma TV’s and a fireplace, children’s play area, sales lounges, a coffee bar and café, a seasonal outdoor patio, business center, and plenty of parking.

In June of 2007 Chambers purchased Foreign Motors West. The acquisition included Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Bentley, and Land Rover brands. At the time of the purchase, Chambers pledged to invest in growing the dealerships and committed to building a larger BMW facility at a new home in Sudbury. The dealership will replace Foreign Motors West BMW located on Route 27 in Natick, which will remain the home of Mercedes Benz of Natick where Chambers has plans for future renovations.

“This is very important for us, and we are very excited about expanding our presence in Sudbury with the addition of this luxury brand,” said Herb Chambers. Chambers also has a Land Rover Sudbury dealership located on Boston Post Road (Route 20).

The new dealership also features a 15-car two story showroom, a 6-car exterior display area featuring a sun-shaded canopy, 40 service bays, 6 reconditioning bays, and an automatic car wash. Because of the vast array of luxury brands, Chambers welcomes trade-ins. Creative financing is available and a huge selection of fine pre-owned vehicles.

The dealership was designed by Regent Associates Inc. of Westborough and constructed by Advantage Construction of Quincy.

In February Chambers opened brand new Porsche and Audi dealerships in Burlington, in March he opened a new truck service and collision center in Braintree, in April he opened a new Infiniti dealership on Route 9 in Westborough, and next month he will complete an expansion of his Mercedes Benz and Smart Center dealerships at Flagship Motorcars of Lynnfield.

“Our continued growth has been a result of the support of our expanding customer base, the dedication of our employees, and the cooperation by town officials in the communities that we operate in,” said Herb Chambers. “We are excited to continue to grow both our company and our customer base moving forward.”

About Herb Chambers Companies

Herb Chambers purchased his first car dealership in 1985 and has grown his company into the largest automobile dealership group in New England. Today, the Herb Chambers Companies are comprised of 45 automotive dealerships throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. For a complete list of dealership locations visit w ww.herbchambers.com.

Herb Chambers Reviews – Allston Village Street Fair – September 20th

Herb Chambers Reviews — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:10:52 +0000

Allston Village Street Fair Co-presented by Herb Chambers

“Have fun at the Allston Village Street Fair on Sept. 20”

The Allston Village Street Fair Urban Mardi Gras Multi-Cultural Festival, scheduled for noon-6 p.m. on Sept. 20, will be six hours of fun, free and open-to-the-public stage and street performances. The fair takes place on Harvard Avenue from Brighton Avenue to Cambridge Street in Allston.

More than 30 rock bands will perform on two outdoor stages. There will be multicultural street performances, an artists/vendors market, an international food court, arcade/amusement area, interactive activities, face painting, air brushed tattoos, balloon twisting and thousands of promotional giveaways and product samplings in between.

The Allston Village Street Fair is MBTA-accessible, with free bike valet service offered at the AVSF Event, as well as free parking and shuttle bus service from the Guest Street Parking Garage in Brighton.

Free pearl necklaces will be given to the first 1,000 visitors to the PCBG Inc.

There will be an information table, compliments of Overstock.com.

For more details visit www.allstonvillagestreetfair.com and www.myspace.com/allstonstreetfair.

The Allston Village Street Fair is produced by the Parents & Community Build Group, Inc., www.parentsandcommunitybuildgroup.org, and co-presented by the Herb Chambers Companies www.herbchambers.com .

Herb Chambers Dealers – Herb Chambers Labor Day Sales Event

Herb Chambers Reviews — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:02:45 +0000

Herb Chambers – Click Here for all the Labor Day Sales Specials

Going on NOW at ALL Herb Chambers Dealer Locations!

Herb Chambers is an automotive dealership group based out of Somerville Massachusetts, we care about creating a positive car buying experience. For decades Herb Chambers has provided New England car buyers with high quality automobiles including those from BMW, Porsche, Ford, Lexus, MINI, Chrysler, Scion, Honda, and many more. As one of the most trusted brands in New England, Herb Chambers is a proud member of the Better Business Bureau. Featured in a number of area media publications like The Metro West Daily News, The Providence Journal and Boston.com, Herb Chambers is known to local buyers as the region’s premier automotive dealership group.

Whether you are looking to buy a new vehicle from Herb Chambers, or, just looking to have quality collision repair or service performed — we hope that you find what you need here on our web site. If not, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can better assist you.

Herb Chambers serves the greater metropolitan areas of Boston Massachusetts and Providence Rhode Island. Dealerships in the Herb Chambers Companies include Audi, Bentley, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chevy, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jeep, Land Rover, Lexus, Maybach, Mercedes, Mercedes Benz, Mini, Pontiac, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Saab, Saturn, Scion, Smart, Toyota, Vespa and preowned vehicles.

Herb Chambers Official Website: CLICK HERE

Herb Chambers Reviews – Porsche Burlington MA Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Herb Chambers Reviews — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:57:51 +0000

Herb Chambers Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at his NEW Porsche Dealership in Burlington, Massachusetts

PORSCHE PARTY—Steve Sabatini (left), Regional Manager of Porsche North America and Herb Chambers perform the ceremonial ribbon cutting ceremony at Herb Chambers’ new Porsche dealership in Burlington.

The dealership, Porsche of Burlington, held a sizzling summer party for customers, friends, and industry leaders to officially celebrate the opening of the dealership.

Located next to Chambers’ Audi Burlington at 62 Cambridge Street, the state-of-the-art luxury dealership is Chambers’ second Porsche dealership, the other being Herb Chambers Porsche of Boston. The party featured a special music performance by the band Crusin’ and catering by Davio’s Restaurant of Boston.

Also in attendance were dealership General Manager George Chambers and Herb Chambers Companies Vice President Jim Xaros. Herb Chambers is the largest automobile dealership group in New England with 46 dealership locations.